Fences Could Help Clean Up Watercourses
Date: 18.10.2010
Relu scientists have created a computer model to investigate the problem of fecal pollution in UK rivers. The organisms come mainly from farm animals' feces and untreated human sewage. Livestock, and dairy cattle in particular, continue to be a major contributor of harmful organisms.
They found that simple farm-scale solutions are likely to be most effective at reducing the numbers of potentially dangerous organisms entering watercourses -- and could work out cheaper both for farmers and consumers.
"But animals having direct access to the water seems to be one of the major risks. The simple solution of fencing off cattle from rivers is probably one of the most effective ways farmers have of reducing fecal material contaminating watercourses. From the farmer's point of view, it is a solution that they can get on and do." Said Professor Philip Lowe.
Original Paper:
Danyel Hampson, John Crowther, Ian Bateman, David Kay, Paulette Posen, Carl Stapleton, Mark Wyer, Carlo Fezzi, Philip Jones, Joseph Tzanopoulos. Predicting microbial pollution concentrations in UK rivers in response to land use change. Water Research, 2010; DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2010.07.062
Source:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100920081324.htm
